A crack-down on dangerous balconies begun in May by the Department of Buildings found that 17 of more than 800 buildings surveyed had balconies that had to be closed, but conditions at only three of those buildings have since been corrected, according to an article in yesterday's edition of The New York Times by Marc Santora.
"In March," the article said, "24-year-old Connor Donohue fell to his death from a 24th-floor balcony on East 39th Street when the railing failed, and inspectors from the Department of Buildings fanned out across the city to crack down on faulty terraces. 'It was the largest facade safety initiative we have done in the history of the department,' said Robert D. LiMandri, its commissioner."
After Mr. Donohue's death, the article continued, "it quickly became clear that many landlords were not in compliance. Inspectors found that nearly 1,000 buildings had failed to file the required safety reports."
The three buildings were the problems were corrected are at 201 West 70th Street; 1675 York Avenue; and 1365 York Avenue, the article said.
The city requires that all buildings over six stories have their balconies and facades inspected - at owner expense - every five years.
"The most common violations," according to the article, "involved the concrete balconies that jut out of the side of the buildings, beyond the exterior walls. Typically found in structures built in the 1980s, the balconies were cited for defective concrete and faulty and unsecured metal railings."
"For now," the article noted, "the sweep is over and Mr. LiMandri said that he did not want to telegraph any future actions. However, he said that he viewed it as the department's job to keep the focus on the issue, particularly now, in the bitter cold of winter, when balconies are not exactly the go-to spot for most apartment dwellers."
"In March," the article said, "24-year-old Connor Donohue fell to his death from a 24th-floor balcony on East 39th Street when the railing failed, and inspectors from the Department of Buildings fanned out across the city to crack down on faulty terraces. 'It was the largest facade safety initiative we have done in the history of the department,' said Robert D. LiMandri, its commissioner."
After Mr. Donohue's death, the article continued, "it quickly became clear that many landlords were not in compliance. Inspectors found that nearly 1,000 buildings had failed to file the required safety reports."
The three buildings were the problems were corrected are at 201 West 70th Street; 1675 York Avenue; and 1365 York Avenue, the article said.
The city requires that all buildings over six stories have their balconies and facades inspected - at owner expense - every five years.
"The most common violations," according to the article, "involved the concrete balconies that jut out of the side of the buildings, beyond the exterior walls. Typically found in structures built in the 1980s, the balconies were cited for defective concrete and faulty and unsecured metal railings."
"For now," the article noted, "the sweep is over and Mr. LiMandri said that he did not want to telegraph any future actions. However, he said that he viewed it as the department's job to keep the focus on the issue, particularly now, in the bitter cold of winter, when balconies are not exactly the go-to spot for most apartment dwellers."
Architecture Critic
Carter Horsley
Since 1997, Carter B. Horsley has been the editorial director of CityRealty. He began his journalistic career at The New York Times in 1961 where he spent 26 years as a reporter specializing in real estate & architectural news. In 1987, he became the architecture critic and real estate editor of The New York Post.
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